These popular little marsupials from northeast Australia weigh no more than about five ounces. Their lively and curious nature helps them to bond easily with humans. Unfortunately, they’re also social and nocturnal, and want your attention when you can’t give it — at night. For that reason, it is recommended that you keep at least two.
Owners should also provide an environment with branches or vines to satisfy the sugar glider’s desire to climb. Additionally, their diet is a subject of some controversy among vets and nutritionists. The only agreement between these parties is that the diet should include protein, insects and various vitamins and minerals.

Pet peeve: When gliders eat, they suck what they need from the food and spit out the rest. As a result, bits of crescent-shaped gunk pile up on the floor around the cage and stick to the walls.

Kinkajou

This nocturnal rainforest mammal is friendly and affectionate by nature and, therefore, enjoys some popularity among exotic-pet owners.
Despite their sharp, carnivorous teeth they eat bananas, eggs, mangoes, Fruit Loops, marshmallows, and gummi bears. This preserves their wicked, bacteria-loaded bite for when threatened or scared. If you harbor doubts, just ask Paris Hilton: Her kinkajou sunk its teeth into her arm and sent her to the ER.

Pet peeve: The kinkajou’s nocturnal chattiness has been known as la llorona for centuries. If your Spanish is rusty, it means ”the crying woman.” Need I say more?

Squirrel monkey

Hailing from Central and South America, the squirrel monkey is omnivorous, preferring to eat fruits, nuts, bird eggs, and small vertebrates. Measuring in at about 2.75 pounds, they have a number of predators, which is one reason they run with a posse that can number as high as 500.
Speaking proportionately, they have the largest brain of all the primates (that includes humans). Couple that intelligence with a social and affectionate nature, and things like house-training come relatively easy to this monkey.

Pet peeve: Any method of marking territory that a pet has is bound to be a peeve, but when the squirrel monkey does it, he rubs his tail and skin into the urine. As a result, he’ll mark any place he goes next, like your lap.

Bengal cat

No relation to the Bengal tiger, the Bengal cat is a hybrid creation featuring pre-designed genetic characteristics that are crossbred with the likes of something more exotic, such as the Asian leopard cat. The result is a new feline breed that acts much like a mellow domestic, but looks like he just walked off the Savannah plains. Variations include the Serengeti, the toyger, and the cheetoh. The more pure-bred the cat, the more costly; one sold for $42,000 in 1998.
Although some consider the Bengal cat’s disposition more like a dog, and thus, more of a man’s pet, I can’t help but detect a woman’s hand behind this breed; it’s like the feline equivalent of the sensitive, domesticated boyfriend dressed up like a dangerous bad boy.

Pet peeve: There are no complaints beyond the typical ones associated with cats, such as watching your nice furniture shredded to bits by claws.

Ball python

There are two types of people: those who like snakes as pets and those who don’t. It’s doubtful that the red eyes or exotic colors of some of these rare variations will entice the uninterested. After all, ownership in this case means keeping your 5-foot-long ball python in a 30 gallon tank and feeding it dead mice, rats or gerbils every 10 days for the next 30 years.

Pet peeve: Your $40,000 lavender albino ball python has refused to eat. Out of options, you take the breeder’s advice and scalp a dead rat, since seeing the brains of his prey might be enough to entice him to eat.

Mona monkey

This West African native is an Old World monkey who peaks out at about 15 pounds and lives into his early 20s.
Like any monkey, he needs to move those crazy limbs. Owners should provide them with an enclosure that permits climbing, swinging, goofing around, and even hiding. His diet is fairly basic, consisting of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, fruits, and insects. The most difficult job may be monkey-proofing your home, since he can outsmart or out-jiggle most baby-proof methods.

Pet peeve: Enjoy his broad range of vocalizations, which include a loud, expressive lament, a danger alert that sounds like a sneeze, and a territorial boom and hack

Hyacinth macaw

The hyacinth macaw can’t dance, roller-skate or ride a unicycle like Big Bird, but he’s still big. The hyacinth macaw weighs in at four pounds, and the world’s largest parrot species also enjoys a tremendous four-foot wingspan. Not only that, but his beak is so strong that it bends the bars of most cages without much effort.
This South American native mates for life, is easily domesticated and will probably outlive you. In the wild, he eats the nuts from two kinds of palm trees, but one of them, the acuri,

he only eats after it has passed through the digestive system of another animal.

Pet peeve: How long will it take before harvesting the recycled acuri nut gets old?

Reticulated python

Hailing largely from Thailand and Indonesia, reticulated pythons represent the longest known species of snake in the animal kingdom. And just how do you keep this monster happy?
Start with a fairly large tank for a habitat in which humidity levels and high temperatures must be regulated with some discipline. Adults don’t need to eat very often, only every 10 to 14 days, and when they do, they prefer dead guinea pigs, rabbits and big rats.

Pet peeve: Breeders recommend getting a second person to help you feed your reticulated albino type II tiger python; someone needs to call an ambulance when it mistakes you for a carcass.

White Lion

According to Forbes, as a pet this cub is the world’s costliest animal.
The white lion is not a species unto itself; he’s your standard lion with a potentially fatal flaw. The flaw is a recessive gene that alerts both potential prey (wildebeests, hippos and adult elephants) as well as predators (hunters) to his presence.
The problem with raising a cub is the same as raising some puppies — they grow up. In the case of a white lion, that can mean reaching 500 pounds.

Pet peeve: Some lions are more prolific man-eaters than Jeffrey Dahmer.

Chimpanzee

Eerily analogous to humans in life span, behavior and even DNA (we share 94%), chimps have a hold on human fascination and attract the likes of scientists, zoo-goers and potential pet owners. This remarkable similarity also hints toward why they make for such problematic and unmanageable pets.
A chimp can be house-trained, but he’s intelligent enough to have a mind of his own. If he wants to raid the fridge, but fails to outwit you, his 115-pound frame has another option — take it by force.
His average upper-body strength is five times that of a human. With a more sophisticated gripping capacity he could show you up at the gym, but why bother? He can just maul you to death.

Pet peeve: You’re showing him off to friends. Then for whatever reason, he appears smarter than you, and your friends laugh. The chimp vocalizes — who knows why — and it sounds like he’s laughing too.

41 Comments to “Top 10 List of Exotic Pets”

August 11, 2008 at 2:09 pm clark says:

none of these animals should be considered pets…. they belong in the wild…. you’re stupid.

August 11, 2008 at 7:39 pm Dale says:

I grew up with a chimp as a “sibling”. As far as Hootie was concerned, my momma was his momma and he wasn’t good at sharing. He would grab my long hair and slam my head to the ground then run to my mom pointing back at me, hollering like I had done something wrong.

If he was in the living room while I was watching t.v. I couldn’t change the channel without risking him going into a rage.

Laurel SimpsonWashington State

August 11, 2008 at 7:39 pm Anonymous says:

I read the sarcasm throughout the article about keeping these exotic pets. I’m very happy because at first I thought this was a “look what you can buy next” article! Very good.

August 11, 2008 at 7:53 pm Anonymous says:

That’s kinda cruel. They’re wild animals, not pets for show….

August 11, 2008 at 8:57 pm Anonymous says:

Isn’t the Chimp DNA similarity 99.4%?

August 11, 2008 at 9:47 pm billdunlap says:

Most of those animals have no business being pets. They belong in the wild.

August 11, 2008 at 9:55 pm Sarah says:

Hahah! It sounds like he’s smarter than you. Great list, love it.

August 11, 2008 at 9:56 pm Sarah says:

Very good list, I’m quite amused. Especially the chimp laughing at you. I sense that’s coming from experience.

August 13, 2008 at 10:27 pm Anonymous says:

Clark… bengal cats do not belong in the wild… stupid fuck.

August 31, 2008 at 7:21 pm Anonymous says:

Clark pretty well much says it all. These are animals that belong in the wild with the exception of the Bengal Cat and the snakes provided you provide proper habitat for the snake.

No bird should be kept as a pet. You deny them true freedom of flight. I live with the guilt of keeping an African Grey Parrot that died at the age of twenty. She should have lived much longer and I didn’t realize the mistake of keeping her that I made until it was too late.

Primates are filthy and destructive and belong in the wild.

Large cats? You’re pretty stupid to try to keep one. No explanation should be needed.

September 1, 2008 at 3:38 pm VanillaCoke says:

I’m annoyed with most of these comments. Yes, most belong out in the wild, but believe it or not; just like there are as many wild cats and dogs as there are tame, there are domesticated exotic animals. I see nothing wrong with keeping an animal from the dangers of extinction. Exotic pets live better, and are probably much happier than any of the same species in the wild. Not only are they protected from the dangers of hunters, and lack of natural resources to fend for themselves, but they have the feeling of someone loving them. The only time that the animals probably abstain from being pets is when the owner isn’t doing their job right, and those kinds of people shouldn’t have pets at all.

Your topic Cage Care Tips For a Happy Parrot at Blog for pet lovers was interesting when I found it on Saturday searching for pet cage…

April 23, 2009 at 2:30 am Hal says:

I think the Fennec Fox should have been added to this list.

June 14, 2009 at 11:28 pm Jake says:

So, it is cruel to keep exotic pets? Rather, we should let them be torn apart by predators, starve, grow sick and let them be in constant fear out in the wild? Maybe some of the posters here should be put out in the middle of the congo and then see how eager they are to be “free”. So the sugar glider is better off being eaten by a snake? Fucking morons…. Unless we are talking about something that is likely to seriously injure, kill, or rip your face off, there is nothing wrong with having it. Only the chimp and the lion fall into that category (maybe the snakes and the other big monkey too, I don’t know enough about them). Lord only knows why anyone would want a monkey. They are pretty much trouble incarnate.

i think that exotic animals are good for people who are trained to keep them. like chimpanzees, birds are good but not lions. those are too dangerous tigers, and bears are dangerous too!

August 2, 2009 at 9:57 pm kimberly says:

well i think as long as the animal is taken care of it doesnt matter who has it. i agree with jake, lets see how they like it to be stuck out in the wild.

August 17, 2009 at 9:16 am SAINTSTER says:

all these animals are wack!

August 31, 2009 at 5:10 am loretta says:

ihave kept snakes and i have Sugar gliders as pets, i have respect for them and if for one moment thought that i was doing them harm i would not keep them, Mine have educated people into seeing animals that they wouldnt usually see and a good way for kids to learn the respect of animals and realise that if we keep harming our enviroment that the only wild animals we will see is in the zoo. I dont see the harm in educating people in how to look after animals and showing what there is out there and what we can lose if we show not respect for what we already have.
Proud owner of my sugar gliders, snakes bearded dragons and a normal dog .. oh yeah 2 kids too

October 23, 2009 at 9:59 am Jerryd says:

This list sounds like a tone of interesting animals.I already have a ball python, but some day i hope to own more exotic animals. like maybe the white lion.

October 28, 2009 at 3:44 am shubham says:

white lions DO NOT survive in the wild as the white coat is visible by their prey thus while giving their prey a chance to escape hats off to the people who keep them as pets.they are doing a good job and should keep it up!

October 28, 2009 at 3:48 am shubham says:

srry for the wrong english in the previous comment while is not there pls do not read while thank you

November 26, 2009 at 2:57 pm zoey says:

you know that the only wild animal you can have from cub hood that you train the way you want is a cheetah oh but the tigers,lions,and bears aren’t all that dangerous if you have had them since they were cubs.so they are just like big kitties.oh ya and you can’t set cheetahs back into the wild because they aren’t all that easy to rehabilitate.

November 26, 2009 at 3:06 pm zoey says:

kay you know what people if you think they should be left in the wild then your crazy id rather have ten tigers running around my house then let them keep getting poached there are ONLY four thousand left in the wild there used to be one hundred thousand in the wild.and it takes 13 servals(cats from africa)to make one coat.so if you think that the only problem they have to worry about is predators then like i said before YOUR CRAZY.

if you think these an mals belong in the wild u guys are crazy thats y they r called exotic they r sappost 2 be a pet

July 12, 2010 at 7:39 pm Bob says:

sugar gliders and many other species are domesticated — they belong indoors. if you free one, you’re feeding it to death.

May 25, 2011 at 11:28 pm Nicole says:

I love my 3 ball pythons! Best pet ever!

July 16, 2011 at 12:17 am Bree says:

Wow I had no idea that owning an exotic pet was a steaming debate! Simply put everything isnt for everybody! If you choose to own one as long as your taking great care of it, whats the issue? There are plenty of people out there mis treating cats n dogs too n shame on them! But if you want to go exotic n have the love n can care for it! Then GO FOR IT!

July 17, 2011 at 7:03 pm Dale says:

I would say a hedge hog. A bit of work but they are really funny and cuddly (although you wouldnt think) pets.

July 21, 2011 at 9:44 pm Anna says:

i Am 13 yrs old and i DO know the difference bettween an animal that belongs (fate, Desire) to be in the wild…Just remember that what u do to the animals…u do to yourself, remember that. >:(

Ok so most of you who are saying that owning exoctic pets is retarded well ur retarded i have had a ball python a scorpion 12 fish a bird a cat and dog all at the same time. owning animals is not bad especially if there ones you dont see everyday. by the way Zoey ur an idiot owning a tiger bear or lion or chimp it dosnt matter what kind of big animal it is they can still attack you. just because they know u and u have had them since they were pups or babies or whatever they are the wild animal in them still comes out. like that lady who owned the chimp and she had him ever since he was a baby and he tore off her friends face. he did that because hes a fuckin wild animal and that part of them cannot be taken out unless there bred like that which has not happened yet. all im sayin is that snakes r ood for pets i love reptiles there awesome and sugar gliders are badass so if u love exotic pets own one just not a tiger or any other kind of big animal cause thats just stupid to do

one more thing kaitlyn ur a fuckin retard there called exoctic pets because there fuckin exoctic they werent ment to be pets in the first place so u should go crawl under a hole and stop saying shit thats stupid

May 13, 2012 at 9:48 am daemin says:

waaw~~~~~ i loved the white lion y donot i having one iloved him soooo muchhhh saranghae~~~~~~~~~~~~~^-^ <3~~~~~~~~~~~

May 13, 2012 at 9:49 am daemin says:

you are soooo stupid hachel

July 20, 2012 at 10:26 am alyssa ryan says:

YOU WON’T EVEN FIND A WHITE LION IN THE WILD, THEY’RE NEAR EXTINCTION AND YOU’RE CALLING THEM A PET? RETARD!!!!!!

You’re all FUCKING stupid, for leaving comments on this stupid website. GET A LIFE!!!!!!!

September 15, 2012 at 1:25 pm Bethany says:

Really you guys are bitching over weather or not these should be pets on a website that doesn’t even connect to facebook….your dumb. If you don’t support exotic pets then stay the hell off the website and you won’t have to worry about being in such a tissy. I think politics are all wrong and they really upset me so you know what I do….I stay my black ass outta politics! Go join peta or something but stop harrasing people that enjoy having exotic pets. I don’t even care on either side of the argument but lack of common sense and unnecessary bitching irritates me.